The Blog

Anxiety — that feeling of dread, fear, worry and panic — is certainly nothing new. Hippocrates wrote about it in the fourth century BCE. As did Søren Kierkegaard in the 1860s. And Sigmund Freud addressed the disorder in 1926.

However, jump to the present and we’re seeing a significant uptick — especially with youth.

Pharmaceutical drugs tend to be the classic treatment for treating anxiety (as well as the biggest money maker). Cognitive therapy is a common approach as well. Those with a holistic bent often turn to meditation, yoga, massage and other relaxation techniques. Music therapy has also been used with some success. But now neuroscientists in the U.K. have zeroed in on a single song that results in a dramatic 65 percent reduction in overall anxiety…

Anxiety & Generation Y

A 2013 survey found that 57 percent of American female university students reported episodes of “overwhelming anxiety.” And in the United Kingdom, the charity YouthNet discovered a third of young women — and one in ten young men — suffer from panic attacks.

Marjorie Wallace, CEO of the charity Sane, believes that generation Y (those born in the 1980s and 1990s) is the age of desperation. “Growing up has always been difficult, but this sense of desperation? That’s new,” she says.

“So, what’s going on? The rise of technology, overly-protective parenting and “exam-factory” schooling are among the reasons psychologists suggest for our generational angst. Another, brought up on multiple occasions by my peers and by psychologists I spoke to, is the luxury (as ungrateful as it sounds) of too much choice.”

Pieter Kruger, a London-based psychologist, says research indicates that people who feel they don’t have a choice are actually more resilient — mainly because they can blame life or others if they make a wrong decision. However, if you have a range of choices, you have no one to blame but yourself. “We become much more obsessive because we want to make the right decision every time,” he says.

Writer Claire Eastham, 26, agrees on her blog We Are All Mad Here:

“I spend a lot of time worrying about what I am going to do with my life. Previous generations had choice taken out of their hands. If you are told what to do it takes the pressure away.”

In our modern era, decision making can trigger a type of paralysis. Often, we will obsessively research the many different options for, say, a pair of shoes. Eventually, information overload will kick in and shut the whole shopping venture down, leaving us exhausted and guilty for being crippled by such a seemingly simple task.

Technology also contributes to the rise of anxiety. A good number of millennials feel exposed without their smartphones — and are rarely without them. Mobile gadgets tend to be their window to the world and foster a sense of connectedness. But there’s a dark side to feeling the need to keep on top of what everyone is doing on social media — otherwise known as Fomo, or the Fear of Missing Out.

“Fomo is very real and can be a constant addiction that affects anxiety levels and a general sense of wellbeing,” says Kruger.

Social media allows us to compare everything — relationships, diet, figure, beauty, wealth, standard of living — not only with our friends, but with celebrities too. And, as research has shown, time on social media “can cause depression in people who compare themselves with others.”

Besides revamping our lifestyles and limiting exposure to social media — and learning to work with a sometimes overwhelming abundance of choice — neuroscientists have found listening to a specially designed song can have a profound influence over our levels of anxiety.

The Creation Of The Ultimate Anti-Stress Music

Researchers at Mindlab International in the U.K. wanted to know what kind of music induces the greatest state of relaxation. The study involved having participants try to solve difficult puzzles — which inherently triggered a certain degree of stress — while connected to sensors. At the same time, participants listened to a range of songs as researchers measured their brain activity, heart rate, blood pressure and rate of breathing.

What they found is that one song — “Weightless” — resulted in a striking 65 percent reduction in participants’ overall anxiety, and a 35 percent reduction in their usual physiological resting rates.

Interestingly, the song was specifically designed to induce this highly relaxed state. Created by Marconi Union, the musicians teamed up with sound therapists to carefully arrange harmonies, rhythms and bass lines, which in turn slow a listener’s heart rate and blood pressure, while also lowering stress hormones like cortisol.

In fact, the music is so effective, that many of the female participants became drowsy — to the point where lead researcher Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson advises against listening to it while driving.

There’s much to the world that is a mystery. We don’t know the fundamentals of what stuff is made of yet, we don’t have a single theory to explain everything, we don’t understand the Genesis of the universe, understand consciousness empirically in any fashion – there are great chasms in our understanding.
Some of these are the limits of empiricism – we cannot know what we cannot measure. Perhaps we will never understand these things.
In ancient mythology, across the globe, there has been talk of humans with extraordinary or seemingly magical powers. These stories persist today.

Sun Gazing Yogis

A recent one is the yogi, Ratan Manek who claims to live on sungazing, a practice of looking at the sun for long periods of time. Worse, the claim is that NASA have confirmed this, and that it gives him supernatural powers, the ability to survive without food. Absolute falsehood, there are no such studies in existence. There is plenty of suggestion this man and others just hide eating food, in every such study so far. There’s supposed video of it on the net, with Ratan. It’s not uncommon for yogi in the east to be hustlers, which is why Indians are skeptical as well as open minded.

Real? Probably not, in terms of not needing to eat. It may be possible that sungazing as prescribed however is not unsafe (1 hour before sunset, starting with ten seconds), and there could be benefits other than not needing to eat. If anyone wanted to try it, I’d get a doctors advice first though.
So, like homeopathy versus more credible say acupuncture (Supported by a wealth of studies), in the field of the vast mysterious unknown, how do we sort the credible from the non-credible? A big problem is funding.

The Science, Parapsychology

In the area of parapsychology, very little spending goes into anything large scale or from a recognized university. The assumption is that it is wrong, rather that actually testing the hypothesis, like a scientist.

In fact there is a great deal of promising evidence of statistically significant effects, that sadly cannot be verified without expensive large scale studies, nor can it be debunked with similarly tiny ones. Studies into dreaming have suggested low level telepathic effects (Dreams influenced by a sender, focused on a singular visual image) such as Montague Ullman 2003, and that’s been both replicated and debunked via replication and studies into microkinesis have found small scale influences on random numbers (This was actually large scale and at MIT, so solid as heck).

That is, there is actually lots of suggestive evidence, the cincher being MITs study on people influencing random numbers, with a cohort of thousands. That level of statistical certainty is ordinarily treated as a total proof if it can be replicated. No one has tried to prove or disprove it. MIT tried to bury it. That should be the research aim – massive study numbers so that low level effects can be measured, simple controls – the same sort of precision research we’d use to look for heart defects.

At MIT along with people potentially having slight but detectable influences on a random number circuit, the numbers themselves, in the circuit seemed to spike improbably around 9/11. Which is even more curious, if it’s something other than a coincidence.

A group of scientists at Princeton, have begun monitoring quantum random number generators like in the MIT experiment, to see if there is a “Global consciousness”, improbable spikes in the random numbers being the key evidence. They’ve called this “The Global Consciousness Project”.

So are there Superhuman Powers?

Actually all the credible evidence on the topic suggests there might be superhuman powers, lying at a subtle dormant level in everyone. Everything small is contradictory, and so can be taken with salt, but what is large so far, the almost nothing we have, is a tiny bit compelling.

Psychic power’s manifestation might be affected by timing and place, if other parapsychological studies on such things are accepted as true. The so called witching hour, and just before dawn, always come up as times of high activity, strange experiences. Dreams of course, and all those near death states. Given what this illustrates, it seems doubtful an individual would come along with high level abilities, able to prove, or show the effect at any time, and in any state, without doubt. We don’t know enough about the laws, mechanisms, to know the factors influencing manifestation in order to produce large scale effects. We should be searching for the “electron” of the miraculous, not for the solar system of it, the tiny and not the large.

Then again both the Russian and US governments have spent massive amounts on funding for psychic spying programs, and if rumors are to be believed, these persist today, in the form of groups of highly talented remote viewers who gather intelligence with a reasonable probable accuracy about remote sites and activities. But whether the programs persist or not, these notions seemed credible enough to those dependent on technology for survival, to explore in great depths. It could be those governments already have all the answers, who knows!

Torsion: Russian woo, or Russian woah?

What has come out of declassified Russian science is interesting. Is it real or not, the so called “torsion science” or “vortex science”? Well it hard to say. Most of the observations where small scale, the incredible things happening at high energy. I think I’d have to see it replicated to be sure, but many of its suggestions and conclusions answer questions we have about reality.

That is things like mental powers, sacred geometry, levitation (UFOs), pyramids and other things actually have a mechanical explanation (A sort of trans dimensional vortex field from which all matter and energy is manifest, from somewhere else – a sort of plato’s cave reality where reality is created from elsewhere).

And that’s an important thing in a theory, that it has explanatory power. It also gives one a view of history that is intriguing, in terms of the intelligence of the golden civilisations, always showing those sacred geometry colors. It’s also not a billion miles from Bohm’s theory which was recently used to solve cosmic inflation.

American and global scientists working along these ends claim to have invented free energy machines, and you see those sorts of things peddled on scam sites all the time. All things, big energy considered, one has to take all of this with a pinch of damned salt, without closing one’s mind. Sorting the woo from the truth here would take personal experimentation.

Maybe Baby

Perhaps it’s possible, or perhaps there’s something here. Perhaps we do have microkinesis and micro telepathy. But we don’t know yet, empirically, for sure, either way, just like we don’t know what consciousness is, where the universe comes from, or what stuff is ultimately made of. Be great if more scientists where curious, evidence so far is not what you’d expect if there was absolutely nothing to it.

In the meantime, what the truth is, is really up to you. Investigate! Well, so long as it’s not debunked woo, like colloidal silver, and free energy machines ordered via magazines. Don’t let your brains fall out 😛

The pitbull exerts energy and wastes time trying to pull against his chain when he sees what he perceives to be a threat or his prey. He knows the chain wont break, he knows he will injure his neck and fall tired, yet he allows himself to extend meaningless energy.

Much as life is for us. An idea or concept (energy) is formed, time is wasted and mental energy exerted only having thought about the idea or concept.

By allowing thoughts to stem and detaching from them or ‘Not Following Through’, you are wasting energy and time being as primitive as the pitbull pulling on the chain. Your thoughts know only conditioning of society and perception of what has occurred or is occurring in your life, giving you the excuse to keep exerting energy with no outcome.

ON THE CONTRARY

The trained and conditioned pitbull is the most ultimate hunting tool with no fear.

The pitbulls master takes him hunting among the field of ideas, the conditioned pitbull pulls as a natural instinct but once the master sets a command, he is still & waits until the leash is released.

what does the pitbull do once he has successfully latched on to his prey?

he LOCKS ON! He doesn’t let go, until his lungs give up, until his heart starts failing. The prey may be bigger than the pitbull, the pitbull may get injured during the holding process, but he accepts his job given to him by nature.

The pitbull holds on until the prey falls to his feet.

Your job is to create. To neglect that concept is to pull against a chocking chain. Through conditioning of the mind, lock onto your dreams, stop wasting time & energy. Invest your energy into your prey until you have bought it to your feet. BE THE MASTER OF YOUR PITBULL

I wanted to talk about addiction. I have a background in psychology. I am actually quitting smoking tomorrow, and cutting down today. I’ve been around the drug scene. Some of my friends are in various health services as well. So, it’s not just dry science to me.

Old school mentalities toward addiction include the likes of the disease model. Basically that’s like being branded in a way. You’re stuck with it. But there are many other models of recovery and addiction itself. Rational Recovery for example pits the higher mind against the animal brain – in a manner perhaps comparable to cognitive behavioural therapy.

Which leads me nicely along to the piece of research I’d like to talk about. [i]

Coked up Marsupials

Basically they got some cocaine addicted rats. Rats that would endure pain to get cocaine. Okay, so they aren’t in PETA. They targeted an area of the brain associated in humans with inhibition and decision making. By targeting this region, in the addicted rats, they reduced compulsive drug taking behaviour. Pretty cool, right?

The region targeted in rats, was half as sensitive to electrical impulses as a normal rat – the region of the brain had become underactive. It was this reduced ability for brain activity here, at least in part, that caused the rats to struggle with their drug use. Which has some implications I’ll get to below.

If we see from this ‘higher’ versus ‘lower’ brain point of view the study examines, then is moderating, or quitting; is it simply a firm decision? A decision made with resolve because of sufficient motivations? A war against one’s impulse to ambivalence, a fight between two halves? Having fought the battle myself a few times, I know it’s not easy, but perhaps it does come down to which side has the bigger army.

Wilful choices

Another more modern line of thought is, and it’s been around a long time – that drug abuse is a form of maladaptive learning. This goes back to behavioural psychologists. But neuroscience is quickly finding this to be true. And our understanding deepens the more time passes. Patterns form quickly when our reward centres are being tickled. There’s no mystery in that at least – people do drugs because they feel good; at least for awhile.

But learning may be occurring both ways as the first study shows. If the moderating region of the brain is under activating in the addicted, perhaps we could view this as a muscle. That might explain why the first days are the hardest when moderating or quitting, and why things slowly seem to get easier as time goes on. Why some people find is easier to quit than others.

And it might offer consolation – if one does slip up, it is indeed practice makes perfect – and things should get easier. The more you try, the better you should get at it.

Changing Perspectives

Addiction was once seen as a collection of withdrawal symptoms. Now it is understood as a series of neurological conditions brought about by use of the drug – conditioning; behaviours produced by reward or suffering, and down-regulation of certain systems; parts of the brain becoming ‘worn out’ temporarily, affecting mood, energy and cognition.

While human beings, and certain other higher animals have some chance of avoiding habituated drug use once started – lower animals lack the higher functions produced by the cerebral cortex. We understand that indeed it is something in the reptile or mammalian brain, the mid or lower brain that produces addiction, and something in the cerebral cortex that can abort, or prevent it. Likely the nucleus accumbens and beta endorphins have a role, as well as certain regions in the cortex. It is a higher function override, of lower function that enables us to rise above our less intelligent base desires. And as we advance our understanding, we will get to know how this all works better.

So many factors

But as a friend of mine would quickly point out, understanding this doesn’t resolve the social, human and other environmental issues surrounding addiction. The field of recovery itself has a long way to go.

Progressing from abstinence, and other older approaches to peer based, moderation and holistic models – that factor in upbringing, trauma, social and lifestyle circumstances. People tend to use drugs to balance stress, loneliness, trauma and other factors in their lives. And that makes sense. Natural pleasures will compete with drug pleasures. If you don’t have much of one, you might seek the other more.

Because for a brain that struggles between two halves, two choices, two voices – anything that raises the one you want, or lowers the one you don’t – anything that helps gain control, can be useful. The whole person needs something to be held in that higher function somehow – a sense of hope, purpose, striving, love or goals.

Essentially one wants to ‘arm’ oneself mentally for the fight. And because I am about to embark on the whole journey myself with smoking – I trust I brought along enough mental bullets!

Hammers only see nails

Addiction therapy reminds me of mental health – the old school approach of psychiatric drugs, versus the newer recovery models and peer based therapy. And this is where I worry about neuroscience studying addiction – every time such a study is produced, you can bet there is a big pharma company with a patent pending. They probably funded it. People studying the effects of chemicals on the brain, are going to want to push chemical solutions like salesmen selling vacuum cleaners in the 1960s.

At the same time, if this research could produce essentially a ‘willpower’ enhancing implant or drug, that would have pretty profound implications for society, and for addiction. A temporary boost might be as useful a short term therapy as benzo’s are for anxiety.

Hope

We have made some strides in understanding how addiction takes place, and some of the factors involved. But it’s worth remembering how little we know in general – we are still very much puzzling at the complexity of how things make people happy for example, and without understanding that neurologically, it’s hard to understand other things like addiction fully.

But for the addict, I see hope. Harm minimization interventions are sometimes available, such as methadone etc., e-cigs for smokers. We could see a lot more for other drugs, but it’s a start. There are growth areas in peer support, moderation methods, the use of mindfulness and more expansive approaches to addiction therapy. Maybe even a willpower enhancing therapy. We are moving beyond the disease model, and starting to listen to the neuroscientists and researchers in other areas. We have a lot of peoples hard work to thank for that. And hopefully that means better help for people struggling with addiction.